


A Fragile Beauty

by Living_Underground



Series: A Fragile Beauty [1]
Category: House of Mirth - Edith Wharton
Genre: Character Death Fix, F/M, Final Scene Fix, I was thinking of both whilst writing it though, Lily Bart deserved so much more, They just need hugs, and for someone to tell them they are loved and wanted, and so did seldon, mention of overdose, mention of suicide, this is kind of based half on the film and half on the book though I don't think you could tell, this was writting through streaming tears so any errors are my own, without being taken advantage of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-16 07:28:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29078622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Living_Underground/pseuds/Living_Underground
Summary: A short fix-it for the end because Lily and Seldon both deserve better.
Relationships: Lily Bart/Lawrence Seldon
Series: A Fragile Beauty [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2141052
Comments: 1
Kudos: 9





	A Fragile Beauty

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this through streams of tears at half five in the morning, so it's rough.

The envelopes were on her desk, and she sat on her bed, the bottle, unstoppered, brought to her mouth with trembling hands, cold glass against her chapped lips when there came a knock on the door. But, oh, how she just wanted to sleep. A more hurried knock and her eyes slipped shut, the lip of the bottle clinking against her teeth.

The door burst open, slamming against the wall with a terrific crash, and Seldon’s cry of her name. With a start, the bottle jolted from her grasp and it fell to the floor, the neck cracking and chloral spilling.

‘Lily?’ he knelt by her, hand brushing her cheek and tucking her hair behind her ear. She was drawn and pallid, everything about her muted and numb. She raised glazed eyes to him, gave a watery smile. ‘Lily, what are you doing? What did you take?’

‘I am so very tired and all I wish is to sleep.’

‘What did you take? I need to know.’

‘I dropped the chloral,’ an exhausted sigh, ‘it appears to have spilled. I just wish to sleep.’

‘Here, let me make you tea,’ he guided her by the arm, her figure brittle and birdlike, to her desk and sat her down, taking note of the two envelopes placed there, before looking around the room for a kettle. Once one was found and put to boil he kept his eyes on her at all times, ‘what you were talking about, Lily, earlier, when you mentioned not seeing me for a long while, when you talked of whatever may happen; what were you planning, Miss Bart?’

‘To sleep. I am so tired, Lawrence.’

‘I know. I do not wish for you to sleep yet though, Lily. How long did you have the letters?’

‘I don’t…’ she cast her mind back, heavy head drooping, ‘after that week in Bellmont, the one with Percy Gryce.’

‘I remember.’

‘A maid had seen me leaving your rooms. Thought I might find them of some interest.’

‘Why did you keep them?’ he frowned, pouring tea and bringing it over to settle it by her hand.

‘To protect you. I could not have society drag your name like they have mine,’ she gave a weak, bitter smile. ‘I figured they should be returned to their owner. Before I…well.’

‘It was no more than a flirtation. Unrequited. You understand that, don’t you?’

She shook her head, lifted her spoon to absently stir her tea, ‘Bertha has wiles about her even I do not understand.’

‘Her wiles never ensnared me. No. I should tell you something, Lily. Something I did not have the words for earlier.’

‘Oh?’

‘I did not love you for a moment‘- he watched her swallow thickly and turn her face away –‘I have loved you for an eternity. Since the moment we met, you have captivated and intrigued me. I thought… I believed I would not be good enough for you, and even if I was that you would never love me. Why should you? But I think you do, Lily. Tell me now if I am being forward, but I love you, and I want your burdens and your worries to be mine to bear.’

‘You do not-‘

‘I do, Lily. Let me once more offer you an escape. I want to marry you. I want to see you happy, and healthy. I want to see you smile again as I kiss your lips. I never want to leave your side.’

‘You cannot want that,’ she shook her head, heavy and worn out, ‘for I have nothing to offer you. I have no money, no standing.’

‘Then offer only yourself, for that is all I want. We could weather one thousand storms if only we had one another, Lily,’ he took her frail hand, cold and bony and trembling.

‘You will tire of me as everyone else does.’

At that he laughed; a soft, huffed thing, ‘I could never: you will continue beguiling me long after we are both dead. It wouldn’t be a perfect life, it wouldn’t be the life that you are used to, but it will be a life; together. All you must say is yes. I love you, Lily Bart. And I cannot spend another day without you.’

She reached a hand out for him; touched his nose, his cheek. ‘Are you real? Am I dreaming of you?’

‘I’m as real as anything.’ She hummed, nodded. ‘Is that a yes?’

‘Yes. Yes. We shall live in your flat and drink tea and smoke cigarettes. And we will be happy,’ her voice took on a wistful tone, a soft, sleepy smile cast across her face.

He nodded, tucked an errant curl of copper behind her ear and smiled, ‘ready for bed, Lily. We will talk more in the morning.’

She sighed and her face fell, ‘the chloral spilled. I doubt there is any left.’

‘You don’t need it, Lily. You are so tired already. Come, ready for bed and I will read until you sleep.’

‘You would do that?’

‘Of course,’ he helped her up, ‘I would do anything for you.’


End file.
